Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Alexandria, VA
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Tampa leads 12 of 23 categories
Alexandria
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$113,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
157,594
Tampa
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Alexandria, VA
Pros
Households earn $46,377 more per year on average
51% less violent crime than Tampa
Violent crime is well below the national average (219.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 66.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $655,700
Higher rents — median is $1,983/mo
Property crime (2640.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Longer commutes — 30.1 min average each way
Tampa, FL
Pros
Homes cost $323k less ($333,200 vs $655,700)
Rent averages $561/mo less ($1,422 vs $1,983)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 45°F
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Alexandria
Cons
Median income trails Alexandria by $46,377/yr
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Alexandria
Median Income
$46,377
$113,179 vs $66,802/yr
Alexandria
Violent Crime
51% lower
219.1 vs 444.6 per 100k
Alexandria
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.2% unemployment
Tampa
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Tampa
Median Home Value
$323k less
$333,200 vs $655,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Alexandria, VA | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $655,700⚠ High | $333,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,983⚠ High | $1,422⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,179 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.1% ✓ Higher | 16.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.0% ✓ Higher | 43.3% |
| High School or Higher | 93.7% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Alexandria City Public Schools | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" ✓ Drier | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 157,594 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 35.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.7% | 50.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Alexandria's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Tampa is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tampa leads 12 of 23 categories. Alexandria wins 11 and Tampa wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Alexandria to Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($655,700 vs $333,200 median home), income ($113,179 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Alexandria, VA and Tampa, FL are about 811 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.